Capacitor panels improve power factor correction

PFC has introduced a range of detuned capacitor panels that can make significant improvements in the user's electrical power factor correction.

PFC has introduced a range of detuned capacitor panels that can make significant improvements in the user's electrical power factor correction and assist in meeting the demands of the Electricity Association's newly introduced G5/4 Recommendations for the control of harmonic disturbances on the line.

The G5/4 Recommendation will cause businesses to seriously consider their use of electrical power.

Essentially, any equipment that uses rectification, which includes computers, TV sets and monitors at one end of the spectrum and variable speeds controls and process equipment at the other, causes harmonics to be reflected back onto the electricity supply.

The electricity companies will no longer stand for this.

PFC has a range of power factor correction equipment that uses soft switching to reduce system disturbance and also has harmonic blocking filter reactors.

Since G5/4 covers the PCC (point of common coupling), companies which install additional equipment, that is liable to create harmonic disturbances, may discover that they are refused permission to connect to the supply, without first taking the necessary steps to minimise disturbances.

Indeed, PFC explains that while an ostensibly compliant variable speed drive arrangement may be installed, it is the site that must satisfy the requirements of G5/4.

In other words, although the drive may have filters fitted and so forth, if the site already fails to meet G5/4, connection might still be refused.

PFC Engineering offers advice on all matters of power factor correction and electrical compliance and all PFC equipment is certificated to meet IEC 831, VDE 0560 and BS 1650.

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